Manny Machado turned up the heat on the Dodgers with a fiery pre-playoff message that set social media ablaze.NL
The San Diego Padres fell short of a four-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, but they still have the chance to overtake the rival Los Angeles Dodgers for the division lead before playoff time.
No matter which team ends the year at the top of the National League West division, though, there seems to be a good chance that the two rivals will face off once again in an epic playoff series. They are wrapping up their regular seasons as two of the best teams in the sport once again and could face off in a National League Championship Series.
And with that potential matchup looming, one of the most polarizing Padres players from the rivalry spoke out about a former Dodgers teammate turned divisional foe.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres looks on during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Petco…
“We’re losing a legend and he’s leaving on top,” Padres third baseman Manny Machado said of Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw’s decision to retire after this year, per Marty Caswell of The Sporting Tribune. “It’s awesome to have been able to wear the same uniform as him, play behind him. … To see it firsthand and hit a couple of homers off of a legend is pretty cool as well.”
Machado played with Kershaw and the Dodgers for 66 games eight years ago before he joined the Padres. Even though he’s played with the Dodgers, he has become a fierce competitor since heading to their division rival, most notably throwing a baseball into the Dodgers dugout during the playoffs last year.
Among his comments about Kershaw’s retirement, Machado indicated that he is hoping for another playoff bout with the pitcher and the Dodgers in October.
“Hopefully our paths cross,” Machado said, per Caswell, seeming to refer to the potential for another postseason duel.
